Maxim De Cuyper and Jaouen Hadjam shone as 10-man Brighton secured a 2-0 win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The match ignited early in the second half, where De Cuyper scored to give the Seagulls the lead. However, Brighton faced a setback when Pascal Struijk received a red card in the 57th minute after a VAR review for denying a goalscoring opportunity.

Despite being a man down, Brighton maintained their composure, while Sunderland struggled to exploit their numerical advantage. In the third minute of stoppage time, Hadjam sealed the victory with a well-placed shot, ensuring Brighton's spot in the top four, while Sunderland lingered just above the relegation zone.

Regis Le Bris made three changes to his team following a heavy 5-3 loss to Manchester City before the international break, bringing in Trai Hume, Reinildo Mandava, and Wilson Isidor. Meanwhile, Brighton kept the same lineup that achieved a 3-0 victory over Arsenal.

The match saw early action with Robin Roefs denying a dangerous shot from Diego Gomez and later tipping away a corner from De Cuyper. Sunderland came close to scoring through Isidor, but Brighton's defense held firm. The first half ended with Struijk hitting the post, setting the stage for a dramatic second half.

The turning point came when De Cuyper found the net in the 53rd minute, followed by Struijk's dismissal shortly after. Despite controlling possession, Sunderland failed to challenge Brighton's goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, while Brighton's late counterattack culminated in Hadjam's goal, securing a crucial three points.